Hamas has announced it will execute Gazans accused of collaborating with Israel, warning that names on its “blacklist” will be revealed if suspects don’t surrender.
Gaza Strip — July 2025 — A senior figure within Hamas’s internal security apparatus has issued a chilling declaration: the group is preparing to execute individuals it accuses of collaborating with Israel, including merchants, criminal syndicates, and other unnamed “offenders.”
The so-called “blacklist,” compiled over recent months, allegedly identifies individuals deemed traitorous to Hamas’s rule in Gaza. “They must return to their people and repent. If not, we will publish the list,” the Hamas official warned, adding that the accused would face trial and execution, if necessary.
“We will serve justice with the sword,” he threatened, claiming that some suspects have fled into Israeli territory, making arrests difficult.
The statement coincides with a report by the Shehab news agency, revealing that the Gaza-based Revolutionary Court—part of Hamas’s Military Judiciary under the Ministry of Interior—has demanded the surrender of Yasser Abu Shabak, a known militant leader in Rafah, who is now facing formal charges.
Hamas has a documented history of carrying out extrajudicial executions, despite Palestinian Authority (PA) laws requiring presidential approval for capital punishment. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, based in Ramallah, has maintained a moratorium on executions for years. However, Hamas, which rejects Abbas’s authority, insists that it does not need his consent to enforce capital sentences in Gaza.
Over the past years, Hamas has executed numerous Palestinians on charges of “spying for Israel”:
- In September 2022, two Gazans were executed for allegedly providing intelligence that led to Israeli operations.
- In May 2023, several individuals were sentenced to death by hanging and firing squad for similar allegations.
- In December 2023, Hamas claimed to have arrested a network of informants allegedly feeding Israel intelligence following the October 7 Hamas-led massacre.
This escalating campaign of internal purges signals a deepening climate of fear and authoritarian control within the Gaza Strip, further destabilizing the already volatile region.
